Activated carbon deodorization primarily relies on the physical adsorption principle of activated carbon. In this process, air serves as the medium, and harmful substances in the air are adsorbed onto the carbon surface, which is why it is classified as a passive air-purification material. In contrast, oxidation methods mainly utilize ozone, a powerful oxidant. Ozone can chemically react with odor-causing compounds, oxidizing and breaking them down into non-toxic, odorless substances, thereby achieving deodorization. The range of odors that can be removed is extensive, encompassing primarily those composed of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide.

Removable odors include:

1. Deodorizing furniture: Place activated carbon inside cabinets, drawers, and refrigerators of newly purchased furniture to absorb odors.

2. Can also be placed inside shoes to eliminate odors;

3. Odor Removal in Cars: New vehicles often emit large amounts of harmful substances, including unpleasant, irritating odors, which can be effectively eliminated by activated carbon.

Both methods rely on adsorption and strong oxidation.

Relying solely on activated carbon to mitigate odors in refrigerators and shoe cabinets is not effective in addressing indoor paint smells, furniture off-gassing, or formaldehyde issues; its benefits are largely limited to supplementary, optional odor-control measures.

Ozone is highly effective at eliminating a wide range of odors and can decompose up to 75% of free formaldehyde in indoor air, though it requires prolonged exposure to achieve these results. In addition, ozone is one of the components measured under the TVOC indicator. When using ozone, it is essential to ensure that no one is present in the room and to take care to protect furniture and appliances that are susceptible to oxidation.

Activated carbon has a vast network of pores, which it relies on to adsorb odors—odors that, in themselves, are also particulate matter.

Ozone is an oxidizing agent that can oxidize odors.

The adsorption mechanism of activated carbon can be classified into physical adsorption and chemical adsorption.

1. Physical adsorption primarily occurs when activated carbon is used to remove impurities from liquid and gaseous phases. The porous structure of activated carbon provides a vast specific surface area, enabling highly efficient adsorption and enrichment of impurities. As with magnetism, all molecules exert mutual attractive forces on one another. Consequently, the numerous molecules residing on the pore walls of activated carbon generate strong adsorptive interactions, drawing and trapping impurities from the surrounding medium within the pore interiors. It is important to note that the molecular diameters of these adsorbed impurities must be smaller than the pore sizes of the activated carbon to ensure effective uptake into the pores. Therefore, by continuously optimizing raw materials and activation conditions, we produce activated carbons with diverse pore structures to meet the requirements of various impurity-adsorption applications.

2. In addition to physical adsorption, chemical reactions frequently occur on the surface of activated carbon. Activated carbon not only contains carbon but also features small amounts of chemically bonded oxygen and hydrogen in the form of functional groups, such as carboxyl, hydroxyl, phenolic, aliphatic, quinone, and ether groups. These surface oxides or complexes can undergo chemical reactions with the adsorbate, thereby binding and enriching the adsorbed species on the surface of the activated carbon. The adsorption performance of activated carbon is the result of the combined action of these two adsorption mechanisms. When the adsorption rate of activated carbon in solution equals the desorption rate—i.e., the amount of adsorbate adsorbed per unit time equals the amount desorbed—the concentrations of the adsorbate in the solution and on the surface of the activated carbon cease to change, indicating that equilibrium has been reached. This dynamic equilibrium is referred to as the activated-carbon adsorption equilibrium, and the concentration of the adsorbate in the solution at this point is called the equilibrium concentration.